The tourists come by the busload, disgorging from motorised behemoths that seem improbable for many Irish roads. With mobile phones at the ready, they head for the photogenic Dunguaire Castle, a majestic 16th-century bastion rising beside a swan-favoured corner of Galway Bay.Overlooking the sea-scented village of Kinvara, Dunguaire could well be Ireland’s most photographed castle, its image in countless brochures and promotions. But a sign on the entrance gate suggests that Ireland, known as the land of 100,000 welcomes, might have to reduce that number by at least one: “Castle & grounds closed to the public.”There to say hello instead one recent morning was Fran O’Reilly, a retired researcher wearing a broad-brimmed hat as protection from the day’s Irish rarity of sustained sunshine. In her hand was a document featuring a QR code that, when scanned, opened to a prewritten email of disappointment, already addressed to various government officials, to which visitors could add their own words of dismay.With the zeal of a seasoned campaigner, O’Reilly approached clutches of puzzled tourists to explain that not long ago, the castle was open for tours and banquets – until, she said, Government officials got in their own way.“About three years ago they had a fight about money, and instead of sorting it out, they closed the gate,” she told a family from France. “So people like you, thousands of people every week, come from around the world to see this castle, and can’t.”One of the French tourists scanned the QR code to join an effort that, at last count, had convinced 2,400 people from more than 50 countries to send missives of disenchantment to the powers that be. A quick perusal showed notes from a tour operator in Denmark, a study-abroad programme director in the United States and many, many disgruntled Irish people.“This place is one of the reasons that tourists come here, and what do they find: Ireland is closed,” one wrote.When asked about the status of Dunguaire, the Shannon Airport Group, the government entity that owns the castle and closed the site in 2023, forwarded a brief statement that said, in part: “Relevant parties are actively exploring options for the future ownership and stewardship of the site with a view to securing its long-term protection and conservation. As these discussions remain ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”Fran O'Reilly, a campaigner for the group Save Kinvara Castle, which has organised a petition to urge the authorities to reopen the site. Photograph: Lucy Garrett/The New York Times